Welcome to the Australian Bush Poets Association
WELCOME. Membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association (ABPA) is comprised of writers, performers
and individuals who are interested in bush poetry and enjoy written and live stories in rhyme and metre. If
you have an interest in this piece of Australian culture called bush poetry, you have come to the right place.
Aims
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association are to foster and encourage the growth of bush poetry
in Australia. By definition, Australian bush poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians
and/or the Australian way of life.
Membership
To join the Australian Bush Poets Association and receive our bi-monthly magazine, go to our Membership page.
The ABPA keeps in touch with its members through this website (and forum) and our bi-monthly
magazine of bush poetry news, events, results of written and performance competitions as well as samples of contemporary
bush poetry. Many members have books, CDs and other products. These can be advertised in the magazine. For rates,
click here. The deadline for ads and other content for the magazine is the 22nd
of the month preceding publication. Magazines are published at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and
December.
Check out our
Facebook page.
New Australian Champion: Michael Darby
ABPA President Tim Sheed, new Australian Champion Michael Darby, third-placed Debby Berryman, runner-up Jenny Markwell and ABPA Secretary Meg Gordon.
The National Bush Poetry Championships were held in Orange, NSW during the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival and Michael Darby is the new champion.
Michael is from Western Australia and gave outstanding performances during the competition. See full results here.
Milton Show Bush Poetry
Bush Poetry at the Milton Agricultural Show was again a big success thanks to John Davis and his team. Fourteen adult and sixteen junior poets performed and the results are here.
Blackened Billy Award
It was indeed a great honour to be presented the BLACKENED BILLY AWARD for 2023, on stage by Greg
North, Ray Essery and Bill Kearns, in front of a large audience, during our very successful Rhymers
Variety Show.
Thank you to Janine Keating for your tireless commitment and efforts in keeping this very prestigious award happening. Thank you to Greg North who delivered it personally to me from the official Blackened Billy Awards held during The Banjo Paterson Festival in Orange, and thank you to the three judges whom I believe to be amongst Australia’s finest poets...making the award even more honourable to me, and finally thank you to my childhood friend Freddy ‘K’, (wherever you may be today), to whom the winning poem was dedicated.
Tom McILveen.
See previously featured poets.
See previously featured achievers.
Anthology On Sale
Anthology of ABPA poets past and present is now on sale $28
posted (within Australia).
A who’s who of modern bush poetry.
62 poets, 192 pages.
More information here (pdf).
On This Site
Membership Information
Forms and direct deposit information.
Forum
Take part in our online forum.
Multimedia
See and hear some of our modern Bush Poets.
Yarn Spinning
Poets often tell yarns too.
Read some great Aussie yarns.
Regular Events
You’ll find regular poetry gatherings around the country.
Featured Poets
Meet a poet or two.
Member Achievements
Read about what some of our members have achieved.
Roll of Honour
Australian Bush Poetry Champions and ABPA executive members.
Magazine Advertising Rates
Disclaimer
Privacy Policy
2022 ABPA Committee
- ABPA Committee Executive
President — Tim Sheed
Vice President — David Stanley
Secretary — Meg Gordon
Treasurer — Christine Middleton - Committee Members
Tom McILveen
Manfred Vijars
Ray Essery - ABPA State Delegates
NSW — Bill Kearns
Victoria — Jan Lewis
Queensland — Peter Frazer
WA — Irene Conner - Magazine Editor — Neil McArthur
Public Officer — Gregory North
Facebook Editor — Jan Lewis
Webmaster — Gregory North
President’s Report April-May
Our organization held its Annual General Meeting on the twenty third of
February. The committee was returned with David Stanley moving into the
Vice President position. I thank our committee members for their ongoing
commitment to the wellbeing of the ABPA. Membership fees remain unchanged.
We are only into the third month of 2023 and so far we have conducted the
Frank Daniels Poetry awards competition in Tamworth and the National Bush
Poetry Recital Competition in Orange.
The National Competition attracted many of Australia’s finest poets and the
level was outstanding. Congratulations to all for participating and particularly
to the winners (see photo above).
The Rotary Club of Orange did a magnificent job in organizing the event
overall with sponsors, prizes and many events across the region being very well
attended.
We were invited to attend a dinner meeting of the Orange Rotary Club which was a
great opportunity to officially thank them for hosting our Championship and the
many poetry events they organized across the region. The Rotary Club of Orange
are a dynamic group of people and their president, Len Banks, is a member of ABPA.
The Man From Snowy River Bush Festival is being held in Corryong from Thursday
13th to Sunday 16th of April. It is one of the premier Bush Poetry events of the
year and a great meeting place.
All in all bush poetry is in a good position with the Sheffield (Tas) Steamfest
including it for the first time this year and several other venues hosting our
genre.
Timothy Sheed
President.